Senate has a duty to protect citizens

The presidential election isover, Americans have spoken and we have a new president.

While many thought that Donald Trump did not mean what he said during the campaign — it was just campaign rhetoric against minorities — they also believed his views would soften against minorities, especially blacks, Mexicans and Muslims. But his Cabinet nominees speak otherwise. Both Sen. Jeff Sessions and General Mark Flynn have checkered histories.

However, in a constitutional democracy like ours, even presidential choices are subject to a second look.

These cabinet members will go through Senate approval, and the Senate is duty-bound to question them thoroughly, especially Sessions, who has already been rejected once before for a federal judge nomination, because of his views.

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Florida is a diverse state; our political leaders represent a cross-section of minorities. Sen. Marco Rubio and rest of the Florida delegation, are duty-bound to vet these nominees to the satisfaction of their constituents.

While our Republican leaders have party loyalty to the new administration, most important, they have a moral responsibility to their constituents — blacks, DREAMers, Jews, Mexicans and Muslims — to assure them that they will be safe and their rights will be protected under our cherished Constitution.

We urge our elected officials, who will be vetting and voting for these and other nominees, to make sure that the rights of their constituents are not trampled upon.